16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry - 90 Day Regiment

The companies composing this Regiment were recruited in Central Ohio.

Companies A and D were enrolled April 20, 1861, at Coshocton; B April 23,1861, at Ashland; C April 20, 1861, at Wooster; E April 23, 1861, at Springfield; F April 16, 1861, at New Philadelphia; G April 22, 1861, at Millersburg; H April 20, 1861, at Cambridge; I April 22, 1861, at Bellville, and K April 22, 1861, at Dresden.

A few days later they reported at Camp Jackson, Columbus, Ohio, where the Regimental organization was formed, and the equipment of the Regiment was begun; the Regiment was named Carrington Guards in honor of Adjutant-General Carrington, who intended to take it to the field; he presented to the Regiment a fine stand of colors of embroidered silk; and in presenting the same, took from his pocket a small piece of wood, saying, "This splinter is a fragment of the Fort Sumter flag staff, which Major Anderson recently gave me here in Columbus, while on his way form the surrendered Fort to his home in Kentucky. I give it to the 'Carrington Guards,' and shall have it inserted in the top of your Regimental flag staff, so that you shall carry over your heads the sacred memento; and may you never surrender it to traitors." The Regiment was mustered into the service of the State of Ohio, on the 10th, 11th and 12th of May, 1861, for three months, to date from April 27, 1861, by J. W. Sill, Adjutant-General, mustering officer, in accordance with an Act of the General Assembly on the State of Ohio, to provide more effectually for the defense of the State against invasion, passed April 26, 1861, the eighth section of which provided as follows:

That the Governor is hereby authorized in case any further requisition shall be made by the President of the United States upon this State for troops, to cause the Volunteer Militia authorized by the Act, or any portion of the same, to be mustered into the service of the United States, in pursuance of such requisition.

The President having issued his proclamation for 300,000 troops for three years, the Regiment was promptly transferred to the United States service; but before it could be paid for previous service, the following Legislation for the relief of Ohio Volunteers was enacted by the Congress of the United States:

Whereas The War Department has decided that the term of service of the ninety days' Volunteers called out under the Act of seventeen hundred and ninety-five, commenced only on the day that they were actually sworn into the service of the United States, and

Whereas The troops now in the service of the United States from the State of Ohio were not sworn into said service until some days after their organization and acceptance as companies by the Governor of said State; and that for such period under existing laws no payment can be made; Therefore Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled, that the proper disbursing officer compute and pay to said Volunteers compensation form the day of their organization and acceptance as companies by the Governor of the State of Ohio, as aforesaid until the expiration of their term of service.

Approved July 24, 1861.

On or about May 25, 1861, the Regiment left for West Virginia, where it was actively engaged in guarding the B.& O. railroad, the enemy having killed citizens and burned bridges in the vicinity of Farmington and Fairmount. It then proceeded to Grafton, West Virginia, where a Battalion became actively engaged before Philippi, W. Va., June 3, 1861; Laurel Hill, July 8, 1861, and Carrick's Ford, July 14, 1861.

The remainder of the Regiment on the B. & O. R. R. had equally honorable duty in the expedition of Romney and Red House, and in making a successful issue of the West Virginia campaign, with a loss of one man killed and two died of disease. The term of enlistment having expired it was ordered home to be mustered out of the United States service.

The Regiment was mustered out of the United States service August 18, 1861, at Columbus, Ohio, by T. J. Cram, Major of Engineers, companies F and G being mustered out by E. Morgan Wood, Captain 15th Infantry, U.S.A., and the band by John R. Edie, Major 15th Infantry, U.S.A.

The official list of battles in which a portion of this Regiment bore an honorable parts is not yet published by the War Department; but the following list has been compiled after careful research during the preparation of this work:

Official Roster of the SOLDIERS OF THE STATE OF OHIO in the WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861-1866. Vol. 1, pages 333-334; Published by Authority of the General Assembly; The Werner Company, Akron, Ohio, 1893.